A COA or Certificate of Authenticity is a document that is accompanied with a piece of memorabilia to show the item is Authentic and Genuine. In reality anyone can issue a Certificate of Authenticity and for this reason we say that a COA is only as good as the person/company issuing it.

Why do you need a COA?

In today’s world anyone with an internet connection or online auction site account can sell an autograph, and anyone can print off a COA on their home computer. The world we live in is rife with bogus sellers auctioning fake autographs and signatures with fake homemade COAs attached to them. Memorabilia collectors beware – only very few COAs are worth the paper they are printed on. Getting a Certificate from a well known company like us (Up North Memorabilia) will help you if you ever decide to resell your item in the future. Having a COA from an unknown company will not bode well with other collectors. If you are spending money on autographs buy from the right people so you get a COA that means something, and to ensure your investment is safe, store the Certificate with your item at all times. Continue reading →